Tumbler tray



y 1959 v .J.w. BRIGHT 2,896,829

' TUMBLER TRAY Filed March 18, 1957 INVENTOR. dnmzs W. BQ/aH-r BY Hl-$ HTTORNBYJ.

HH RR-IS, K/ECH, Fears/e & HARRIS.

TUMBLER TRAY James W. Bright, Glendale, Calif., assignor to Burroughs Manufacturing Corp., Los Angeles, Calif., 21 corporation of California Application March 18, 1957,'Serial No. 646,793

6 Claims. c1.224-4s This invention relates to a tumbler tray with a plurality of tumblers which can be carried about in a plurality of orientations without danger of tipping the tumblers or spilling liquids therefrom.

Tumbler trays or racks have been produced in which the tumblers are pivotally supported in the tray using the force of gravity to maintain the'tumblers level as the tray is tilted or rotated. In such structures, the tumbler is wedged in position in its pivoting support and, therefore, requires the exertion of a relatively large force for its removal. The tumbler usually breaks free suddenly, producing a sharp reaction which often causes liquid to spill from adjacent tumblers. Since the tumblers are pivotally mounted adjacent their centers of gravity, they are not stable when the tray is resting on a flat surface and a rocking motion is easily imparted to the tumblers resulting in spillage of liquids.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a tumbler tray in which the tumblers are loosened from their pivotal supports when the tray is set down permitting the tumblers to be picked up by a simple lifting motion as if they were resting on a flat tray.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tumbler tray having a cnonpivoting support which is positioned adjacent the rim of the tumbler when the tray is set down thereby making it extremely diflicult to tip or rock a tumbler when an adjacent tumbler is being removed from the tray.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. The drawing merely shows and the description merely describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention which is given by way of illustration or example. 6

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows a portion of the tray of Fig. 2 in the carrying position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of'the tumbler support ring; and

Fig. 7 shows a portion of the tray of Fig. 2 rotated nited State's Patent V V V 2 provided with inwardly facing sockets 19 (Fig. 4) at the corners thereof to receive the ends of the rods, the rods being fixed to the side members by suitable means such as screw 20.

Tumbler supports 23, 24, 25 are pivotally mounted in the housing between the side members adjacent the lower edges of the side members. Trunnions 26, 27 at opposite ends of the tumbler supports are positioned in aligned openings 28, 29 in the side members 11, 12, respectively, and are fixed in place by retainer caps 30, 31 attached to the ends of the trunnions. I

Each of the tumbler supports has two rings or openings 33, each opening being adapted to receive and support a tumbler 34 at a point intermediate the top and bottom of the tumbler. The tumblers 34 are of uniform dimensions, having a predetermined height and maximum diameter and preferably are tapered, such as shown in Fig. 5. The dimensions of the openings 33 and the tumblers 34 are selected so that a tumbler will fit snugly into an opening with the center of gravity of the tumbler below the pivot axis of the tumbler support.

The tumbler supports are mounted in the housing with their pivot axes parallel and preferably spaced apart a distance greater than the height of the tumblers so that they tray containing the tumblers may be rotated fromthe position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 7 and may be inverted without having the tumblers contacting each other or the handle rods. Since the tumblers are pivoted above their centers of gravity, they will be maintained in an upright position by the action of the force due to gravity while the housing is being rotated. The rods 13, 15, whichserve as handles, are preferably positioned so as to be above the pivot axes of the tumbler supports 23, 24, 25 when the tray is in the normal upright position as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The rods 14, 16 which also serve as handles, are preferably positioned so as to be above the pivot axes'of the tumbler supports when the tray is in an inverted position. Thus, regardless of the orientation of the housing, if the tray is carried by the rods that are uppermost, the tumblers will always be in a dependent position thereby having maximum stability.

Plates 37, 38, 39 are positioned between the side members 11, 12 adjacent the upper edges thereof, the plates having apertures or openings 40 therein corresponding to the rings 33 of the tumbler supports 23,24, 25 for guiding and stabilizing the tumblers. The plates are positioned so that the apertures 40 are parallel to and in alignment with corresponding openings 33 when the tray is in the horizontal, upright position of Fig. 2. The apertures 40 are slightly larger than the maximum diameter of the tumblers and the spacing between corresponding apertures 40 and openings 33 when in the position of Fig. 2 is less than the length of the tumblers. The apertures preferably are provided with a downwardly opening taper for steering the tumblers up through the aperture.

The tumbler tray of the invention may be loaded by placing the housing or frame on a horizontal surface as shown in Fig. 2. Tumblers are inserted through aligned apertures 40 and openings 33 and rest on the same horizontal surface. Then the frame is lifted, engaging the tumblers with the tumbler support rings as shown in Fig. 5. When the tumblers are so engaged, the tray may be carried about with any orientation without fear of spilling liquid from the tumblers. When the loaded tray is set down on a horizontal surface, the tumblers will contact the surface first and be moved upward relative to the frame, out of engagement with the tumbler support ring, and the rims of the tumblers will pass upward through the apertures 40. Then individual tumblers may be easily removed by merely lifting them upward through the aligned openings. At the same time, the possibility of tipping a tumbler is extremely remote, since the apertured plates permit only a very slight sidewise motion of the tumblers.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed anddiscussed, it will be understood that other applications of the invention are possible and that the embodiment disclosed may be subjected to variout changes, modifications and substitutions without necessarily departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tumbler tray with tumblers, the combination of: a housing having opposed side members and handle means for carrying said housing in a plurality of orientations including a normal orientation; a plurality of turnbler supports pivotally mounted between said side members, said supports having parallel pivot axes; a plurality of tumblers of predetermined length, at least one of said tumblers removably held by each of said tumbler supports at a point intermediate the ends of the tumbler with the center of gravity of such tumbler disposed below the rotation axis of the support in which it is held, whereby the tumblers seek upright positions gravitationally irrespective of the orientation of the housing, the parallel pivot axes of the tumbler supports being spaced from one another and from said handle means to permit the tumblers to swing and remain upright upon inverting said housing without said handle means or tumblers held by adjacent supports obstructing free swinging movement, said pivot axes of said tumbler supports being spaced from the bottom of said housing when in said normal orientation a distance less than thelength of that portion of said turnblers which projects downward from said tumbler supports, so that said tumblers will extend below said housing when in said normal orientation; and plate means positioned between said side membersand having a plurality of tumbler receiving apertures therein, said plate means being spaced from said tumbler supports a distance less than said predetermined length of said tumblers, each of said apertures being slightly larger than the maximum diameter of said tumblers, each of said apertures being above and aligned with one of said tumbler supports respectively when said housing is in normal orientation, the tops of said tumblers passing upward through corresponding apertures for stabilizing the tumblers when said housing so oriented is placed on a horizontal surface with said tumblers raised from said tumbler supports by engagement with the horizontal surface. V

2. In a tumbler tray with tumblers, the combination of: a housing having opposed, elongated side members and transverse handle members connecting correspondingends of said side members for carrying said housing in a plurality of orientations including a normal orientation; a plurality of tumbler supports pivotally mounted between said side members adjacent the A lower edges thereof, said supports having parallel pivot axes; a plurality of tumblers of predetermined length, at least one of said tumblers removably held by each of said tumbler supports at a point intermediate the ends of said tumbler with the center of gravity of such tumbler disposed below the rotation axis of the support in which it is held, whereby the tumblers seek upright positions gravitationally irrespective of the orientation of said housing, the parallel pivot axes of said tumbler supports being spaced from one another and from said handle members to per mit the tumblers to swingand remain upright upon in verting said housing without said handle members or tumblers held by adjacent supports obstructing free swinging movement, said pivot" axes of said tumbler supports being spaced from the bottom of said housing whenin said normal orientation a distance less than the length of that portion of said tumblers which projects downward from said tumbler supports, so that said tumblers will extend below said housing when in said normal orientation; and plate means positioned between .said side members adjacent the upper edges thereof and having a plurality of tumbler receiving apertures therein, said plate means being spaced from said tumbler supports a distance slightly less than said predetermined length of said tumblers, each of said apertures being slightly larger than the rims of said tumblers, each of said apertures being aligned with one of said tumbler supports respectively when said housing is in said normal orientation, the rims of said tumblers passing upward through corresponding apertures for stabilizing the tumblers when said housing so oriented is placed on a horizontal surface with said tumblers raised'from-said tumbler supports by engagement with the horizontal surface.

3. In a tumbler tray with tumblers, the combination of: a housing having opposed, elongated side members with upper and lower corners at each end thereof, and having transverse handle members positioned between corresponding corners of said side members for carrying said housing in aplurality of orientations including a normal orientation; a plurality of tumbler supports pivotally mounted between-said side members, said supports having parallel pivot axes; a plurality of tumblers of predetermined length, at least one of said tumblers removably held by each of said tumbler supports at a point intermediate the ends of the tumbler with the center of gravity of such tumbler disposed below the rotation axis of the support in which it is held, whereby the turnblers seek upright positions gravitationally irrespective of the orientation of the housing, the parallel pivot axes of the tumbler supports being spaced from one another and from said handle members to permit the tumblers to swing and remain upright upon inverting said housing Without said handle members or tumblers held by adjacent supports obstructing free swinging movement, said pivot axes of said tumbler supports beingspaced from the bottom of said housing when in said normal orientation a distance less than the length of that portion of said tumblers which projects downward from said tumbler supports, so that said tumblers will extend below said housing when in said normal orientation; and plate means positioned between said side members and having a plurality of tumbler receiving apertures therein, said plate means being spaced from said tumbler supports a distance less than said predetermined length of said tumblers, each of said apertures being slightly larger than the maximum diameter of said tumblers, each of said apertures being above and aligned with one of said tumbler supports respectively when said housing is in said normal orientation, the tops of said tumblers passing upward through corresponding apertures for stabilizing the tumblers when said housing so oriented is placed on a horizontal surface with said tumblers raised from said tumbler supports by engagement with the horizontal surface, the handle members between said upper corners being above the pivot axes of said tumbler supports when said housing is thusly oriented and the handle members between said lower corners being above the pivot axes of said tumbler supports when said housing is inverted.

4. In a tumbler tray with tumblers, the combination of: a housing having opposed side members and handle means for carrying said housing in a plurality of orientations including a normal orientation; a plurality of tumbler supports pivotally mounted between said side members, said supports having parallel pivot axes, each of said supports including a ring with a tapered opening therein; a plurality of tapered tumblers of predetermined length, one of said tumblers removably held by each of said rings at a point intermediate the ends of the turnbler with the center of gravity of such tumbler disposed below the rotation axis of the support in which it is held whereby the tumblers seek upright positions gravitationally irrespective of the orientation of the housing, the parallel pivot axes of said tumbler supports being spaced from one another and from said handle means to permit the tumblers to swing and remain upright on inverting said housing without said handle means or tumblers held by adjacent supports obstructing free swinging movements, said pivot axes of said tumbler supports being spaced from the bottom of said housing when in said normal orientation a distance less than the length of that portion of said tumblers which projects downward from said tumbler supports, so that said tumblers will extend below said housing when in said normal orientation; and plate means position between said side members and having a plurality of tumbler receiving apertures therein, said plate means being spaced from said rings a distance less than said predetermined length of said tumblers, each of said apertures being slightly larger than the rims ofsaid tumblers, each of said apertures being above and aligned with the tapered opening in one of said rings respectively when said housing is in said normal orientation, said rims of said tumblers passing upward through corresponding apertures for stabilizing the tumblers when said housing so oriented is placed on a horizontal surface with said tumblers raised from said tumbler supports by engagement with the horizontal surface.

5. In a tumbler rack with tumblers, the combination of: a frame; a plurality of tumbler support rings pivotally mounted in said frame with the pivot axes of said rings parallel to each other and positioned adjacent a side of said frame; and a plurality of tumblers of a predetermined length and of a cross section not exceeding a predetermined maximum diameter, a tumbler removably mounted in each of said rings respectively with the center of gravity of the tumbler below the pivot axis of the ring, and with the tumbler projecting downward from the ring a first distance greater than a second distance between said pivot axes and said side of said frame, said frame having a plurality of tumbler receiving apertures slightly greater than said maximum diameter, each of said apertures being aligned with a corresponding ring when said apertures and rings are disposed parallel to each other with said apertures and said side of said frame positioned on opposite sides of said rings, said apertures being spaced from said rings a distance less than the difierence between said predetermined length and said second distance whereby when said side of said frame rests on a plane surface, said tumblers are moved upward out of engagement with said rings and into said apertures for withdrawal from the tray.

6. In a tumbler rack with tumblers, the combination of: a frame; a plurality of tumbler support rings pivotally mounted in said frame with the pivot axes of said rings parallel to each other and positioned adjacent a side of said frame; and a plurality of tumblers of a predetermined length and of a cross section not exceeding a predetermined maximum diameter, a tumbler removably mounted in each of said rings respectively with the center of gravity of the tumbler below the pivot axis of the ring, and with the tumbler projecting downward from the ring a first distance greater than the second distance between said pivot axes and said side of said frame, said frame having a plurality of tumbler guide means for slidingly receiving said tumblers, each of said guide means being aligned with a corresponding ring when said guide means and rings are disposed parallel to each other with said guide means and said side of said frame positioned on opposite sides of said rings, said guide means being spaced from said rings a distance less than the dilference between said predetermined length and said second dis' 7 tance, whereby when said side of said frame rests on a plane surface, said tumblers are moved upward out of engagement with said rings and into said guide means for withdrawal from the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain of 1934 

